Cement additives for rapid strength development

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for a forming a supersulfated cementitious material. In one embodiment, the supersulfated cementitious material may include a ladle slag and one or more sulfates obtained from various industrial sulfurization processes. The supersulfated cementitious material may further include one or more supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). An amount of ground granulated blast furnace slag incorporated into the supersulfated cementitious material may be less than 82% while demonstrating rapid strength development.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A supersulfated cementitious material, comprising:
 i) at least 1 wt % of a hydraulic activator comprising calcium (Ca) and aluminum (Al), wherein:
 the calcium content, expressed as CaO equivalent, is at least 20 wt %; and 
 the aluminum content, expressed as Al 2 O 3  equivalent, is at least 15 wt %; 
   ii) one or more sulfates;   iii) granulated blast furnace slag;   iv) tartaric acid in the range of 0.005 wt % to 0.5 wt %; and   v) calcium nitrate in the range of 1 wt % to 2 wt %.   
     
     
         2 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 1 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises tartaric acid in the range of 0.02 wt % to 0.35 wt %. 
     
     
         3 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 1 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises at least 1 wt % of calcium nitrate. 
     
     
         4 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic activator is selected from the group consisting of: a ladle slag, an amorphous alumina slag, a Belite-Ye'elimite-Ferrite (BYF) clinker, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 1 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises at least 5 wt % of the hydraulic activator. 
     
     
         6 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 1 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises at least 10 wt % of calcium sulfate. 
     
     
         7 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 1 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises at least 15 wt % of calcium sulfate. 
     
     
         8 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 1 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises 82 wt % or less of the granulated blast furnace slag. 
     
     
         9 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 1 , wherein the granulated blast furnace slag has a Blaine fineness of at least 400 m 2 /kg. 
     
     
         10 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 1 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises 3 wt % or less of Portland cement clinker. 
     
     
         11 . A cement mortar comprising a supersulfated cementitious material and an aggregate, wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises:
 i) at least 5 wt % of a hydraulic activator comprising calcium (Ca) and aluminum (Al), wherein:
 the hydraulic activator comprises ladle slag; 
 the calcium content, expressed as CaO equivalent, is at least 20 wt %; and 
 the aluminum content, expressed as Al 2 O 3  equivalent, is at least 15 wt %; 
   ii) at least 10 wt % of calcium sulfate;   iii) 82 wt % or less of granulated blast furnace slag, said granulated blast furnace slag having a Blaine fineness of at least 400 m 2 /kg;   iv) 3 wt % or less of Portland cement clinker;   v) tartaric acid in the range of 0.005 wt % to 0.5 wt %; and   vi) calcium nitrate in the range of 0.5 wt % to 3 wt %,   wherein at least 5 wt % of the supersulfated cementitious material is comprised of the ladle slag.   
     
     
         12 . The cement mortar according to  claim 11 , wherein the aggregate comprises sand. 
     
     
         13 . The cement mortar according to  claim 11 , wherein the cement mortar has a water-to-cementitious material ratio of 0.40 by weight. 
     
     
         14 . The cement mortar according to  claim 11 , wherein the hydraulic activator further comprises one or more of an amorphous alumina slag and a Belite-Ye'elimite-Ferrite (BYF) clinker. 
     
     
         15 . The cement mortar according to  claim 11 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises tartaric acid in the range of 0.02 wt % to 0.35 wt %. 
     
     
         16 . The cement mortar according to  claim 11 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises at least 1 wt % of calcium nitrate. 
     
     
         17 . The cement mortar according to  claim 11 , wherein the cement mortar further comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: quicklime (CaO), fly ash, limestone, their derivatives, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The cement mortar according to  claim 11 , wherein the cement mortar exhibits a compressive strength of at least 30 MPa at 7 days from onset of hardening. 
     
     
         19 . The cement mortar according to  claim 11 , wherein the cement mortar exhibits a compressive strength of at least 50 MPa at 28 days from onset of hardening. 
     
     
         20 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 1 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises tartaric acid in the range of 0.03 wt % to 0.2 wt %. 
     
     
         21 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 20 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material exhibits a compressive strength of at least 50 MPa at 28 days from onset of hardening. 
     
     
         22 . The supersulfated cementitious material according to  claim 1 , wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises at least 5 wt % of the hydraulic activator, and wherein the hydraulic activator comprises ladle slag. 
     
     
         23 . A cement mortar comprising a supersulfated cementitious material and an aggregate, wherein the supersulfated cementitious material comprises:
 i) at least 1 wt % of a hydraulic activator comprising calcium (Ca) and aluminum (Al), wherein:
 the calcium content, expressed as CaO equivalent, is at least 20 wt %; and 
 the aluminum content, expressed as Al 2 O 3  equivalent, is at least 15 wt %; 
   ii) at least 10 wt % of calcium sulfate;   iii) 82 wt % or less of granulated blast furnace slag, said granulated blast furnace slag having a Blaine fineness of at least 400 m 2 /kg;   iv) 3 wt % or less of Portland cement clinker;   v) tartaric acid in the range of 0.005 wt % to 0.5 wt %; and   vi) calcium nitrate in the range of 1 wt % to 2 wt %.